Deuteronomy 10

1 At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first and come up unto me into the mount and make thee an ark of wood,

2 and I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou didst brake, and thou shalt put them in the ark.

3 And I made an ark of cedar wood and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in my hand.

4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten words which the LORD spoke unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly; and the LORD gave them unto me.

5 And I turned and came down from the mount and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they are, as the LORD commanded me.

6 (After this, the sons of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the sons of Jaakan to Mosera; there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar, his son, received the priesthood in his stead.

7 From there they journeyed unto Gudgodah and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.

8 At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

9 Therefore, Levi had no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God said unto him.)

10 And I stayed in the mount, like the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, and the LORD did not desire to destroy thee.

11 And the LORD said unto me, Arise, take thy journey before the people that they may enter in and inherit the land, which I swore unto their fathers to give unto them.

12 And now, Israel, what does the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

13 to keep the commandments of the LORD and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

14 Behold, the heavens and the heaven of heavens are of the LORD thy God, the earth also, with all that is therein.

15 The LORD delighted only in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you from among all the peoples, as it is this day.

16 Circumcise, therefore, the foreskin of your heart, and no longer be stiffnecked.

17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, a great God, mighty, and terrible, who makes no exception of persons, nor takes a bribe;

18 he executes the rights of the fatherless and the widow and also loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.

19 Ye shall love, therefore, the stranger, for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave and swear by his name.

21 He shall be thy praise, and he shall be thy God, that has done with thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.

22 Thy fathers went down into Egypt with seventy souls, and now the LORD thy God has made thee as the stars of heaven in multitude.

Deuteronomy 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

God's mercies to Israel after their rebellion. (1-11) An exhortation to obedience. (12-22)

Verses 1-11 Moses reminded the Israelites of God's great mercy to them, notwithstanding their provocations. There were four things in and by which the Lord showed himself reconciled to Israel. God gave them his law. Thus God has intrusted us with Bibles, sabbaths, and sacraments, as tokens of his presence and favour. God led them forward toward Canaan. He appointed a standing ministry among them for holy things. And now, under the gospel, when the pouring forth of the Spirit is more plentiful and powerful, the succession is kept up by the Spirit's work on men's hearts, qualifying and making some willing for that work in every age. God accepted Moses as an advocate or intercessor for them, and therefore appointed him to be their prince and leader. Moses was a type of Christ, who ever lives, pleading for us, and has all power in heaven and in earth.

Verses 12-22 We are here taught our duty to God in our principles and our practices. We must fear the Lord our God. We must love him, and delight in communion with him. We must walk in the ways in which he has appointed us to walk. We must serve him with all our heart and soul. What we do in his service we must do cheerfully, and with good will. We must keep his commandments. There is true honour and pleasure in obedience. We must give honour to God; and to him we must cleave, as one we love and delight in, trust in, and from whom we have great expectations. We are here taught our duty to our neighbour. God's common gifts to mankind oblige us to honour all men. And those who have themselves been in distress, and have found mercy with God, should be ready to show kindness to those who are in the like distress. We are here taught our duty to ourselves. Circumcise your hearts. Cast away all corrupt affections and inclinations, which hinder you from fearing and loving God. By nature we do not love God. This is original sin, the source whence our wickedness proceeds; and the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be; so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God, Ro. 8:5-9 . Let us, without delay or reserve, come and cleave to our reconciled God in Jesus Christ, that we may love, serve, and obey him acceptably, and be daily changed into his image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord. Consider the greatness and glory of God; and his goodness and grace; these persuade us to our duty. Blessed Spirit! Oh for thy purifying, persevering, and renewing influences, that being called out of the state of strangers, such as our fathers were, we may be found among the number of the children of God, and that our lot may be among the saints.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 10

In this chapter an account is given of an order to Moses to hew two tables of stone, on which the Lord would write the words that were on the first, and to make an ark and put them into it, all which was accordingly done, De 10:1-5 and of some of the journeys of the children of Israel, De 10:6,7 and of the separation of the tribe of Levi to the service of the sanctuary, De 10:8,9 and of Moses's stay in the mount forty days and nights, and his success there, and the direction he had to lead on the people of Israel towards Canaan's land, De 10:10,11 and who by various arguments are exhorted to fear the Lord, and serve him, and keep his commands, De 10:12-22.